Sunday 26th April 2020

The Third Sunday of Easter

You can find all of our latest information, Edith's reflection for this Sunday, our Thursday "Worship for all Generations" and much more by clicking on the following link to our facebook page - Leesfield Parish

Today is the 3rd Sunday of Easter, and our isolation continues. I hope you are managing to cope. I know many are doing vital work in keeping in touch with others, checking up on each other. In a very difficult time, real community is still there. Our churches remain closed, and we long to gather and celebrate Easter. Not being able to share in the Eucharist is a real sadness, but this will pass. Meantime I hope you are finding enough resources to strengthen your faith, whether that is material from our churches (paper or electronic), from other churches, or on TV or radio. Please continue to hold this community in your prayers. In today’s reading Jesus appeared to two of the disciples, and they did not at first recognise Him. Perhaps, in the quietness of the lock down, you will catch sight in some way of our risen Lord.  

Edith

Here are two of the disciples already leaving Jerusalem and making for home – and it is still the afternoon of the day of resurrection. It seems the community is already breaking up.

Yet they are talking animatedly…And the risen Jesus meets them on their journey. 

Cleopas and his companion do not recognise him though. They don’t recognise him until he is inside their home, at their table. And doing something so simple. In the breaking of the bread they realise who he is. And in that moment of recognition he vanishes from their sight. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Looking back they can see that they were beginning to know him during the journey.

“Were not our hearts on fire” they say to one another “as he spoke with us on the road, when he opened the scriptures to us” Now they can identify two ways the risen Jesus revealed himself to them –his reinterpreting scripture and his breaking of the bread.

But it wasn’t his discourses on the scriptures that revealed him to them, it was their personal contact with him – which then led them back to scripture. This story is important – vitally important- it does after all tell us the central message of our faith – Jesus is risen, he is alive. It is important too on a personal level.

We know the scriptures are important. But just as Cleopas and his companion did not recognise the risen Jesus when he expounded the scriptures to them – it is unlikely that scripture alone will bring us to know Jesus for ourselves. What does bring us close to Jesus is something much more human – we meet him in all sorts of places. 

The two on the Emmaus road saw him in the breaking of the bread but they only got a fleeting glimpse, in that instant of recognition he vanished from their sight.

That glimpse was enough to send the two rushing back to Jerusalem to be with the other disciples again – it was enough to reunite the group. Fleeting glimpses are all we are likely to get, and that has to be enough. And there will be times in our lives when we can look back and realise he was with us and we did not know it. And those glimpses must be enough for us too!
Alleluia, Christ is risen!

Here is a traditional hymn for you to join in with - 

And a Taize hymn by a virtual choir from around the world -

Sunday 19th April 2020

The Second Sunday of Easter

You can find all of our latest information, Edith's reflection for this Sunday, our Thursday "Worship for all Generations" and much more by clicking on the following link to our facebook page - Leesfield Parish

Today is traditionally known as Low Sunday, and sometimes Thomas Sunday – for reasons that will become clear.  We have been through Holy Week and Easter Day, and now we move on towards Ascension and Pentecost. I can’t help wondering where we will all be by then! These last few weeks have been difficult, everyone has been affected in some way. I do hope you managed to follow in the steps of Jesus towards Easter and beyond. We have done our best to let you have material that will help keep you in touch. I have had some phone calls, which is helpful as it is difficult otherwise to know whether we are getting it right for you! We should, at this point, be heading for our Annual Meeting, with its elections of officers to run the church for the next year. This has, of course, been postponed. That does give you more time to consider what you can do to help move the parish forward. Your church needs you! 
Edith

We are very familiar with this story, which involves our own Thomas. Today’s gospel passage records Jesus’ appearance to the disciples. These disciples had been through a very difficult time – they had seen their leader, the man they believed to be the messiah, their saviour, crucified like – and with - common criminals. Their friend, their teacher, their leader was dead. And they were desolated. We can only imagine their joy when they saw him alive and beside them. And they reacted with understandable excitement. Poor Thomas wasn’t with them, he hadn’t had the experience of meeting the risen Christ, and he didn’t believe them, or rather he said he needed proof before he could believe it. What he wanted was only what his friends had already had. 
When preparing this reflection the part of the passage that struck me was right at the beginning. The disciples were gathered together behind locked doors. They were in hiding, not from the virus but from the authorities. What were they feeling? We can only imagine. I guess fear, anxiety, hopelessness, depression, loneliness. Many of us will be feeling some of these things in our current situation – fear of the illness (for ourselves and our families and friends) anxiety over job security and finances, and a general feeling of loss (of cancelled events, of closeness with others) and so on. The disciples were lifted up by Jesus appearances. We don’t have Jesus physical presence, but He is with us in our challenges and will be with us when this is all over and we can celebrate. 
Christ is Risen!         Alleluia!   
Edith 

Prayers 

Almighty Father, you have given your only Son to die for our sins and to rise again for our justification: grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness that we may always serve you in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen 


Lord, we give you thanks for all who, though they have not seen you, have believed. We give thanks for the disciples and your appearing to them in the upper room. Help us to know that you are with us in your risen power. We pray for Christians who are fearful of persecution, for all who are suffering because of their faith. 
Lord in your mercy                  Hear our prayer 

We give thanks for those who taught us the faith, for all who have set us examples to follow. May we rejoice in your presence in our homes.  May we show forth your power in our lives. Bless us in all our dealings and relationships. 
Lord in your mercy                  Hear our prayer 

We pray all who are ill in body mind or spirit, and name before you those who we know to need our prayers. We pray for all who are badly affected by the current situation, and give you thanks for all who are working to improve the lives of others. May they know the comfort and strength of your presence.
Lord in your mercy                  Hear our prayer 

Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday

Holy Saturday

To watch a reflection on Holy Saturday by Rev'd Edith please click on the link - Holy Saturday Reflection

Easter Sunday

Here's a picture of a Lego Easter Garden made by one of our Sunday School children.

You can find links to Easter Sunday services from the Church of England tomorrow on our facebook page - just click on the following link - Leesfield Parish 

Or if you're worshipping quietly at home - the readings and prayers for Easter Sunday are shown below.

Happy Easter to you all! 

When we began Lent, in what seems another world –on Ash Wednesday – none of us can have imagined what much of Lent and Holy Week would be like. It has been, and continues to be, a struggle for everyone – isolation, loneliness, anxiety at many levels. However it has been heartening to see so many people rise to the challenge, to witness or hear about so many acts of kindness and generosity. In times like these even the smallest positive moment can make such a difference to someone’s day!  I hope you have been able to find enough to nourish your spirit – whether that be televised services, the radio worship and the material we have managed to get to you on line or by snail mail. It is likely to be some time before we return to something resembling normality, but we will go on working together and looking forward to that day when we can gather again in our churches. 

Meanwhile, it is Easter – Christ is Risen.  Alleluia!                                                          Edith 

John 20   11-18 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. 

This is part of one of today’s readings. It follows the discovery, by two of the disciples, of the empty tomb. I have chosen this particular passage because I think it holds much for us at this time. Mary Magdalene was, along with all of Jesus’ other followers and friends, caught up in something huge, something overwhelming, something life changing. She was heartbroken at the death of Jesus, and the loss of his body must have felt like the last straw. At that moment, just as she’d reached rock bottom, Jesus turned to her and spoke her name.  So here we have two pictures – the immense, the mysterious event that is at the heart of our faith and the deeply personal, the calling by name, that makes our faith real for each one of us – as we hear our Lord call us by our name. God has endless creative power to generate new things, to draw life out of death. Christ is risen. The green blade rises. There is the hope and promise that all will flourish, and that the spring of God’s kingdom will come.  We continue to live through the darkness that is the pandemic, darkness that is different for each of us in our own circumstances, but God is with each of us, if we listen we will hear him call us by name. Easter demonstrates that there is resurrection.  

Alleluia!                                                          Edith 

Prayers 

Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honour, glory and might,  now and in all eternity.  

Amen 

Jesus, light of the world Bring the light and peace of your gospel to all nations, to our nation, to our community. Strengthen us all in these difficult times, and may the joy of your resurrection lighten all our lives. 

Lord in your mercy   Hear our prayer 

Jesus, bread of life give food to the hungry, to all those who do not have enough to eat.  We thank you for food banks and all who work in them  and those who support them with donations. 

Lord in your mercy   Hear our prayer 

Jesus, Good Shepherd who gave your life for the sheep, recover the straggler, bind up the injured, strengthen the sick,  and lead the healthy and strong to new pastures. We pray for all those we know who are ill in body, mind or spirit.  

Lord in your mercy   Hear our prayer 

Jesus, the resurrection and the life, We give you thanks for all who have lived and believed in you. especially for our own loved ones departed. Raise us with them to eternal life.   

Lord in your mercy   Hear our prayer 

Blessing 

The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, make us perfect in every good work to do his will,  working in us  that which is well pleasing in his sight and the blessing of God Almighty the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit  be among us and remain with us always.

Amen 

Good Friday

A Good Friday Reflection

A reflection on Good Friday by Rev'd Lyn from St John the Baptist Church, Hey

A lovely reflection from St Chad, Ladybarn

Maundy Thursday

A Bible reading and reflection by Edith for Mandy Thursday

Today is known as Maundy Thursday, from the Latin ‘mandatum’ which means commandment. A little further on in this chapter of John’s Gospel Jesus is recorded as saying

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 

 On the evening of this day, Jesus sat with his disciples to celebrate the Jewish Passover meal, his last Passover meal.  We are familiar with the story of the foot washing which preceded the meal – a reminder that we must let others help us. Perhaps this is a much needed reminder in these difficult times when we do not who know who will need help. Then follows the supper, which is the origin of the Eucharist, the commandment to love one another………………and the betrayal! Much to ponder here.

Edith

Please do join us at 6.30 pm for "Worship for all Generations", and at 9 pm for Compline, both on our facebook page - Leesfield Parish

Wednesday of Holy Week

Today's Bible Reading and a reflection by Rev'd Edith

After a busy day yesterday, today it all goes quiet. In fact today is known as silent Wednesday. Silent on the outside maybe, but this is when the plotting by the authorities came to a head. His fate was sealed from this point on.
We have no information about Jesus at this point. He returned to Bethany, to the home of Mary and Martha, a place he was safe and comfortable, but where were his thoughts?

So let’s leave it there for today – and follow Jesus’ example. We need to take a metaphorical deep breath in preparation for the next event-packed few days.


Edith

You can join us for Compline this evening at 9 pm by clicking on this link - Compline

Tuesday of Holy Week

Today's Bible Reading and a reflection by Rev'd Edith

Tuesday of Holy Week is known as “Busy Tuesday”

Many things happened that day. The reading I have chosen is the story of the withered fig tree. Other events of the day include a challenge of Jesus’ authority, the parables of warning, a debate with Jewish leaders, the denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees and a discourse on the last things.

The story of the cursing of the fig tree is a strange one! It wasn’t the season for the tree to produce fruit –it seems as if Jesus was being completely unreasonable. It looks like a fit of petulant bad temper. Perhaps a much needed reminder here that Jesus was human as well as divine? He was hungry, and angry because the fruit he wanted wasn’t there.

Or is it a continuation of yesterday’s protest about the role of the Temple, the Temple  whose role as the centre of worship was being usurped by the revolutionaries? 

The rest of this day was very eventful, as noted above. You can read about it in the rest of Matthew, up to the end of chapter 25.                                          Edith

We'll be sharing Compline again at 9 pm this evening. You'll find us by clicking on this link - Compline

The order of service can be found below so you can join in with the responses.

Compline in Holy Week

Compline is a very gentle prayer for the end of the day, which we say together at 9 pm every evening during Holy Week. Rev'd Edith has recorded Compline from her home so that everyone can join her on our facebook page at 9 pm this evening - please see link to our facebook page below

Leesfield Parish facebook page

The order of service is below so you can join in the responses

Monday of Holy Week

Today's Bible Reading and a reflection by Rev'd Edith  

Our reading for today is the story of Jesus removing the money changers from the Temple. A well-known passage, but it is often seen in very simplistic terms. It isn’t a story about a protest about exploitation by the money changers and the dove sellers. They may have been making a profit.  After all they had to make a living as well as everybody else. People had to be able to buy pure animals for sacrifice. To buy animals you had to have the right money, and the Temple insisted on its own special coins. It isn’t the buying, selling and money-changing Jesus is objecting to in itself.

The word translated in this passage as ‘robbers’ does not mean thieves. A better translation is ‘brigands’. Brigands were revolutionaries, people who believed so strongly in God’s coming kingdom of justice and triumph for Israel that they were prepared to take the law into their own hands. They were violent. The temple itself, instead of being regarded as the place where Israel could come to God in prayer, had come to stand for the violent longing for a great revolution in which the kingdom of God would come by force. By stopping the sacrificial system, Jesus was calling into question the Temple’s reason for existence. He certainly was turning the tables – physically as well as metaphorically. 

Hidden, almost, in all this is the staggering fact that people were coming to Jesus in the Temple and he was healing them (v14). The people who were kept out were now welcomed in. The people who had been scorned were now healed.  

Jesus turned the tables in the Temple and He continues to turn tables in our own time, in our own lives, if we allow Him in. A thought for Holy Week!                                                                                                                            Edith                                                     

Newsletter 5th April

Newsletter – 5th April 2020

How strange it is to be apart from you all, especially at this time of the year. In normal times I would be busy making preparations for all the services from Palm Sunday through Holy Week up to Easter Day. I am still very busy, trying to make as much of this time as accessible to you all as I can (as well as the many other tasks which come my way!). This should be the time when our churches are full of worshippers following Jesus through the events of his last week – but instead we are doing this alone. Literally alone yes, but not spiritually. Christians throughout the world are following the same path, and many never have the privilege of doing this publically. Perhaps we should remember them as we struggle through what we hope is a ‘one off’. With the help of the internet and television you can follow services and other forms of worship from a wide variety of places. Churches, local and further afield, have a variety of different events you can try out via your computer! Why not make a virtue out of necessity and seek out what is on offer?  I am not live streaming services – I don’t feel that is the best use of my time – but you can access Neil’s offering on Thursdays. I will write something each day this week to remind you of the events of Holy Week, and we plan to share Compline each evening at 9pm as we did last year.  Most importantly, we must remember to pray for each other.            Edith

Sunday April 5th 2020                            Palm Sunday

Matthew 21    1-11

When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2. saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.]” 4. This took place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,

5. “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you,

    humble, and mounted on a donkey,

        and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

6. The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; 7. they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

    Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

10. When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11. The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

I have never, in 19 years of ordained ministry, preached on Palm Sunday! That is because we have the long reading, the Liturgy of the Passion, instead of a sermon.

We are very familiar with the story, Jesus goes with his disciples to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. There is the odd story of the donkey being found for Jesus to ride on. He rides on the donkey and the crowds gather to welcome him. Cloaks were spread on the ground, palm branches were waved and the people cheered and shouted. They shouted “Hosanna to David’s son!” King David of course. They were welcoming Jesus as king, and the Jews had waited for so long for a king to free them from oppression. But Jesus knows that he has come to Jerusalem not to be enthroned but to be killed. The people wanted a Messiah, but this one was going to be enthroned on a pagan cross. They wanted to be rescued from evil and oppression, but Jesus was going to rescue them from evil in its full depths. The story of Jesus’ grand entry into Jerusalem is an object lesson in the mismatch between our expectations and God’s answer. The bad news is the crowds are going to be disappointed, the good news is that this disappointment is at the surface level. Deep down, Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem really is the moment salvation is dawning. The Hosannas were justified, though not for the reasons they had supposed. Somewhere deep in this story is a message for us to hold on to – with God things are not always as they at first seem. Maybe something in this for us at this challenging time?  

Edith

Prayers

True and humble king, hailed by the crowd as Messiah:

grant us the faith to know you and love you,

that we may be found beside you on the way of the cross,

which is the path of glory                                 Amen

We pray for your world. 

For all affected by the pandemic.

For those who are anxious and distressed

For those who fear for their livelihoods

For those who fear for their lives

For those who are ill 

For all those who care for them                   

                         Lord in your mercy            hear our prayer

We thank you for the goodness of people

For those selflessly helping others

For those coping cheerfully with extra tasks

For those who put others before themselves   

                         Lord in your mercy            hear our prayer       

Remember in your prayers those you know to be ill, including those from our parish. 

Reflection on Holy Week

Holy Week

Some 20 years ago, just before I was ordained, I was fortunate enough to be able to spend Holy Week and Easter at Mirfield (which is both a monastery and a theological college). It was an amazing, once in a lifetime experience. Away from the distractions of ordinary life, it was possible to be really immersed in the season, its liturgy and traditions. 

This year many of you will be in some ways out of ordinary life, though some will be extra busy in the changed circumstances, but for most of us the usual distractions of life may be missing. It will be something of a struggle without the use of our church buildings, but I thought it worth outlining the ideal, as well as giving some of the story.

At Mirfield we celebrated Palm Sunday with great joy, as the crowds had, welcoming Jesus as our king and singing the traditional hymns. Then Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we had the regular pattern of worship, Morning prayer, Eucharist, midday prayer, evening prayer and compline (!) Then Wednesday evening the great silence began – to last until Easter Day.

Maundy Thursday followed the pattern we have here, peaceful and reflective as feet were washed and the Last Supper celebrated. Then the dramatic stripping of the altar and its surroundings – bleakness as Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray and is betrayed by Judas. Jesus asked his disciples to watch with him but they fell asleep. Here we keep watch until 9pm. At Mirfield we took turns to watch through night until Good Friday liturgy began at noon. That was a very powerful experience, alone with Christ in the dark hours of the night.

The service on Good Friday filled the hours from noon until 3pm, the traditional three hours.  There is real desolation here.

The day after the crucifixion nothing could be done, as it was the Sabbath, and at Mirfield it was dismal, nothing to do, silence still of course, even the food was very plain. Early to bed because ……….. 

Sunday up very early (4.30 I think), to gather in the chapel and watch for the first light of dawn to creep through the east window. This was greeted with noise (the long silence was broken with bells and whistles, with singing, in a chapel which had been transformed with flowers and candles. Such a contrast symbolising the joy of the risen Christ. All this followed by a breakfast of champagne and bacon and eggs!

To be immersed in all this was very powerful and unforgettable. This year our Holy Week and Easter will lack the symbols. No waving of palm crosses, No familiar hymns. I will miss the particular atmosphere of Maundy Thursday and the stripping of the altar. Good Friday I find difficult, I know it isn’t supposed to be joyful but there does seem to be too much wallowing in the gore, and (probably heresy), I can’t accept God punishing an innocent man for my yet uncommitted sins! (I am about to retire, they can’t sack me now) I see the cross as representing the worst man can do to God, and God overcoming it.

It isn’t possible to make Holy Saturday as desolate as it should be – but perhaps the current situation may make it more so than usual.

We don’t have a dawn service here – I think I might be alone – but our Easter Vigil at St Agnes is a good approximation. We light a fire outside and light the Paschal candle and the candles of the people from it. The Paschal Candle, the new light of Christ, is brought in to church. We sing traditional hymns, we renew our baptismal vows and we celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter. I will miss this deeply this year.

Then Easter Day celebrated in both churches, great joy, singing, and chocolate eggs.

How different it will be this year, without access to our buildings. I will miss you all, Christians are not supposed to be alone, but we will do our best. Please do what you can to immerse yourself in the story, in the season, and remember we are all joining in too. We are all in this together.

It may well be a long Good Friday, but Easter will come!

                                                                                                                 Edith